Improvement in locks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

R. S. EDDY AND A. O. MILES, OF' NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IM PROVEM ENT IN LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters'Patent No. 33,931, dated December 17, 1861.

To @ZZ whom, it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that we, R. S. EDDY and A. O. MILES, both of Nashua, in the county of I-Iillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and Improved Lock; and We do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ot' this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of our invention, taken in the line cc Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a vertical section of thc same, taken in the line z z, Fig. 2.

. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a lock of simple and economical construction, which will be burglar-proof and capable of being changed or having its tumblers so adjusted that different keys will be required to open it or a different adjustment of the bits of the same key.

The invention consists in having the' tumblers of the lock formed, each of two parts, so that the tumblers may, with the greatest facility, be adjusted to'eiect the changes, as hereinafter particularly explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct our invention, we will proceed to describe it.

A represents the case of the lock, which may be of rectangular or other suitable form, and B is the bolt, which is fitted within the case and allowed to slide freely in and out between suitable stumps or guides.

Against the bolt B a tumbler C is placed and arranged so as to slide in a direction at right angles thereto. This tumbler is formed of a single piece or plate and is slotted, as shown at a, to receive a projection ax on the bolt B.

D represents a series of tumblers, which are placed one against the other and in front of tumbler C. The tumblers D work between suitable stumps or guides b and the sides of the case, and each of said tumblers is formed ot two parts c CZ. The parts c of the tumblers are simply frames in which the parts d are iitted or placed. The parts d of the tumblers are each provided with a slot e, and at one edge are notched, as shown at f, to receive a spur g on the frames, the spurs of the frames fitting into either of the notches', as may be desired. The spurs g retain the parts c Z within the frames or parts c of the tumblers, and the parts cl are sufficiently smaller than the frames or parts c to admit of a certain degree of adj ustment of the former within the latter. By this arrangement it will be seen that the parts d of the tumblers may be varied in position within their respective frames c, and their slots e varied in position relatively with each other and the projection ax on the bolt B.

The operation of the tumblers D and C, so far as the operation of unlocking the lock, is the same as usual. The slots e, of course, re quire to be brought` in line with the projection ax in order to admit ot the bolt being shot back within the case. The moving ot' the tumblers is effected by turning a key E, the bits h of which act upon the under sides of the frame c and actuate the tumbler's, and a bit fr' moving or shoving back the bolt. The bits h of the key E are adjustable, each bit being formed of a straight bar and all Itted in a slot in the shank of the key and secured therein by a screwj, which passes intothe end of the shank. (See Fig. 2.) By this arrangement it will be seen that when the part CZ of the tumblers D are adjusted the bits h may be adjusted accordingly, the bits being graduated to correspond with the notches f of the parts d of the tumblers. We do not confine ourselves to the precise construction or arrangement of the tumblers herein shown and described, for that may be varied and the same end attained.

We do not claim sliding tumblers with slots in varying or different positions, so that the tumblers will require to be adj usted or moved different distances in order to bring their slots in line with a projection on the bolt to admit ot the unlocking or shoving back of the same, for such device is in common use. Neither do We claim, broadly, constructing lock-tumblers in two parts, one adjustable within the other; but

We do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination ot the tumbler D, trames c g, and slotted and notched slides CZ e f, when constructed, arranged, and operating in .connection with a bolt B ctx, and key E h j, all as hereinbefore shown and described, and for the purposes explained.

R. S. EDDY. A. O. MILES.

Vitnesses:

THOMAS PEARsoN, JASON BARNEY. 

